About Blatant False Advertising...

This is just plain ridiculous. I don't even need to say anything else about it.

What makes me angry here is that Faith Hill is a beautiful lady and this magazine feels the need to make her skinnier with less lines on her face. She's way hotter than I'll ever hope to be but obviosuly it's still not good enough. Wow, doesn't that make me feel like crap.

Airborne: Vitamin C cleverly disguised as a protective medicine to keep you healthy (yeah vitamin C is good for you but don't make it what it's not).

Dr. Pepper: A pop that claims right on the can "Solves all your problems." Um...so can you pay my bills?

Some other examples:

* Gum that lasts "longer than it took to create the universe" (I don't think so)

* Ugly chicks in shirts that claim "Hottie" (If we can read, we can see you)

* Push-up bras (it's just going to make someone mad when they find out the truth)

* Cologne commercials that indicate that woman will jump on their boyfriends father (so the guy smells good, it won't really make chicks act that way)

I'm sure you've seen them too. Whatever the case may be blatant false advertising is unacceptable. So here's the thing media, don't treat me like an idiot, I know that you are lying to me and that makes me angry. I won't buy your products because you treat me like an imbecile.

The biggest problem is that they have begun to outright lie to us ("they" being the marketing corporations). Advertising has always been about making something seem better than it is and making people feel as though they need something they don’t; but really, I’d like to be taken seriously and not treated like an idiot.

And here's the thing, people are going to find out eventually and they're going to be pissed when they do! So why not just tell us what your product actually can do, that I want to know and it's good enough for me.

About Our Selfish Nature...

So here’s the thing about human beings, we are innately selfish. We are born that way, we want what we want when we want it and we get pissed if we don’t get it. Babies cry when they don’t get what they want, kids act out, but what do adults do? I think the simplest way to put it is that they hurt people (both themselves and others).

I recognize that I am being completely vulnerable here and that’s pretty scary but hear me out. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately because it’s one of the things that I like the least about myself. I used to think that I was pretty good at putting others first but I’m not so sure right now. I work hard at ignoring my selfish nature, I work very hard at pushing it down because I love other people and I want them to love me (although that in itself is selfish I suppose). But when I think about the things that I’ve done that I don’t like, the inevitable under layer is my own self-interest. I see people that I want to be like, people who seem to always be able to put others first, I want to be like them. I want to be loving and selfless, while maintaining healthy boundaries, but I don’t think that I’m very good at it.

Being married certainly has curbed parts of this selfishness; because you can’t have a good marriage unless you are willing to think of the other person’s interests on level with your own, my husband has taught me a great deal. However, I’m still growing and working on it and there are still a lot of things that I do that I don’t like. And why do I act this way? I can’t stand that I do it, yet I continue the behavior. I beat myself up (in my head) and overanalyze every action, but I have trouble changing.

So here’s the thing about selfish human nature, we’ve each got one, but I like mine the least. I know we are our own worst enemies and that is certainly true for me.

With all this said I want to apologize, an apology which I am sending out into the void, to the many people that I have hurt in my own self interest over the years. I know most of those people will never see this, but I want it to be out there:

I am sorry. I have hurt you and I am sorry. I have tried, but I will try harder. Please forgive me and please trust that I am working on it. My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, pray for me that I might live as Christ did, in love.

About Ranting...

Sometimes I get weary and I am feeling that right now. I feel uninspired, melancholy and downright tired. When this mood strikes I have trouble being passionate about anything, let alone being passionate enough to rant.

There are times when painters don't have vision, there are times when musicians don't hear songs and for me, there are times when the words won't come. I sit here and stare blankly at the screen hoping for something profound, or at least something meaningful, and nothing comes.

Even now, I have so many things swirling around in my sub-conscience but it just won't spill over to the paper (or keyboard in this case). I think that our mood affects every piece of us so what will I do? I suppose I will wait this out and the words will come back to me eventually. I just wanted you to know, my few loyal fans, that I am not gone, merely sitting this one out.

About Voting...

Do it. If you're of age and registered you better be in a booth tomorrow making your voice be heard. I don't care what you believe or who you are voting for, it's your right.

So get up now and go vote!

About Voting for Christian Ideals...

I myself am a Christian, but here is the problem that I see in voting for Christian ideals. I have heard so many Christians say this: "If you are truly a Christian I don't see how you can vote for..." (And yes both names have been inserted there, both Obama and McCain have strong Christian support). But here's the thing, if we are true to Christian ideals and plan to put someone in the white house who only carries those ideals, neither of the men running for office would be legitimate options.

Someone I know said this: The problem with voting along Christian Ideals is that quite frankly neither man would stand up to Jesus' ways. Politics and religion don't mix well, it's as simple as that. We do not live in a Christian nation, we live in a nation that is run by a secular government. As a Christian I will do all I can to promote Christian Ideals, but as a citizen I vote for the man I think will be the best leader.

And I agree.

About McCain supporters....

So here's the thing about McCain supporters, or at least the ones I know (I wouldn’t want to generalize too much). They are immature, ignorant, and have no ability to see anything as good that doesn’t involve Republicans. They refuse to see any good in Obama, and if you’re a human you can admit that there is some good in everyone. And there is some good in everyone, I can see good in McCain, I just don't think that he is the best choice to run the country.

So, one ignorant McCain supporter I know just responded to something I'd said and it got me all riled up…and really I should probably take the high road and let it go, but it’s really hard for me to let ignorance go unanswered. There’s got to be some justice in the world.

Basically I said that it is unfair to judge someone by who they know (The Obama and Ayers conversation). Hell, we all know some pretty unlovable characters. I sure don't want people judging me based on the people I know. At any rate, this ignorant bastard responded to me by saying that "Perhaps Obama will name Osama Bin Laden to his cabinet." I responded by telling him that was an ignorant thing to say. And seriously, what the hell? How immature do you have to be to say something like that?

I don't give a crap who Obama is friends with, just as I wouldn't want someone judging me by my friends. I mean I like my friends and all but I don’t want someone saying I’m a drunk because I have drunk friends or that I am a Republican because I have Republican friends or whatever, fill in the blank, that I am a ______ because my friend Sally is a ______.

And more importantly, my friends don’t tell me what to do, so even if I have a terrorist friend, that doesn’t make me a terrorist…and this is all conjecture anyway. This is even if Ayers and Obama are close, which Obama says they aren’t. So let it go…

So here's the thing about McCain supporters. If you want to support McCain, fine do what you like, but don't come at me with your ignorant jargon and act like it's acceptable dialogue.

About Barack Obama

As I've been watching debates, commercials, etc. this presidential year I have seen one thing that keeps happening that is starting to bug the shit out of me. Want to know what it is? All the hating of Barack Obama.

McCain lovers everywhere including lay people, newscasters, politicians and even McCain himself cannot give me one good reason to vote for McCain, all they give me is reasons not to vote for Obama. For me this seems to be a fairly ridiculous platform to stand on as the reason why he should be president of our country.

The only other reason I'm given for voting for McCain, besides the fact that he's not Barack Obama, is that he spent over 5 years as a POW. Wow...really!? Does that really give someone all the skills they need to lead a country? Let's think about that one logically. Actually I think that kind of trauma would give someone a great reason to stay low-key the rest of his life. So go home McCain.

But let's not be like McCain lovers. I'm not going to try to convince you based on what a duchebag McCain is, I'd rather tell you why I'm voting for Barack Obama.

Let's get this clear, Barack Obama may be young but he's well accomplished. I don't want someone telling me I can't do my job because I'm only in my twenties, and he's twice my age! If he had only spent the amount of time being prepared for his work that I've spent preparing for mine I'd be satisfied, but he's done more than that. And sure he admits that he tried cannabis and cocaine during this time of his youth. Are any of us perfect? Have you never done anything as a young person that you regret? Is there no forgiveness for our immaturities? Are you the same person you were when you were 18? I'm not and thank God for that.

Upon graduation in 1983, Obama worked for one year at Business International Corporation before moving to Chicago and taking a job with a non-profit organization helping local churches organize job training programs for residents of poor neighborhoods. This seems like a guy who knows the people of the country. It seems like he probably understands what we need.

When Obama was thirty he was teaching at the University of Chicago Law School. In 1996 when I was a mere teen and longing for my first kiss, he was in the Illinois senate and Obama helped to author an Earned Income Tax Credit for the state that provided benefits to the working poor. He also worked for legislation that would cover residents who could not afford health insurance, and helped pass bills to increase funding for AIDS prevention and care programs. He also pushed through legislation that would force insurance companies to cover routine mammograms (good news women). And for the last four years he has been serving on the US Senate.

And these are only a few highlights. Yes, I have done my homework and I know what's going on so McCain's groupies can send me as many forwards as they like, I'm voting Obama/Biden 2008. Who's with me?

About the right of way...

So we were coming out of a parking lot and hoping to turn left though we were not at a light or a stop sign. As we waited for the traffic to pass, a lady came up on the road from the right wanting to turn into the parking lot. When there were no more cars on the road coming from the left, she didn't turn in. We both looked over to see why and she was jesturing at us to go. We were a little bewildered...being that most drivers know that whoever is on the road has the right of way and that right of way would have been her in this situation.

So then a few more cars were coming from the left and neither of us had gone, us because we in no way have the right of way coming out of a parking lot and her because apparently she had never passed a driving test. So the next time that there was a space coming from the left we looked at her, she didn't go and then she started honking at us angrily and gesturing for us to go. At this point there were 5 cars behind her on the road and a few cars behind us in the parking lot so we finally just went. Although if it were up to me (I wasn't driving) I would have waited, just out of spite mainly because stupidity should not be rewarded. I was angry about this whole situation.

The right of way never belongs to the person coming from a parking lot. It always belongs to the person already on the road. So why are people so stupid? How has this woman not yet killed someone in a car? And lastly...what the hell? It was bewlidering for me and left me angry for about half an hour at the sheer stupidity of this woman. And no, it was not a confused older lady, that might have been at least understandable, it was a thirty-something soccer mom in an SUV.

I really wanted to turn around and pull into the parking lot and confront this woman, to let her know how ridiculously she had acted. Actually I wanted to punch her in the face...maybe I need to deal with some anger but seriously, learn how to drive people....

learn how to drive.

About 501 jeans advertising...

Ok, so what the hell?!? Tonight I was made aware of the new 501 jeans ad campaign which is actually an e-card sender. To check it out before you read this rant go here:

http://www.unbuttonyourbeast.com/

To put it bluntly this is completely lacking in taste and it has surpassed merely the suggestion of a penis and moved straight to penis shaped things coming out of pants. Really, it’s no longer an innuendo at this point Levi’s.

Seriously, how ridiculous can you be? Who’s the genius behind this marketing scheme? Hey, I’ve got a good idea. Let’s have things like a pig and a hot dog coming out of the fly. Yeah great it’ll be awesome…oh wait, it may actually turn off a large number of people in the mean time. At the best it’s mildly amusing but it’s also trashy, shocking, childish and a little nauseating.

What were they thinking? It may be funny to a small number of people but it’s more likely to make me gag than want to buy Levi’s and really…what has happened to the staple jeans of America? I’m sure if you ask most people to name a jeans manufacturer Levi’s would come up. Hell, it’s been around forever…have they suddenly decided that they would rather people not wear their jeans? Because at this point that’s what I’m thinking. Will I go out and buy some Levi’s…hmmm…wait I remember that ad they had with the penis beasts…no thanks I think I’ll try some Wrangler’s instead.

So here’s the thing about your ad campaign Levi’s 501, as Josh Loposer says, “Keep it in your pants, marketing team,” I can do without.

About drunk chicks in line for the restroom...

Note: Rough language to follow, be aware.

So this last weekend I went out with my sister. She really wanted to go out with her friends from class so I agreed to go along and we ended up at The Rathskeller biergarten on a weekend of Oktoberfest listening to Polka music. As strange as that sounds it was actually pretty fun dancing around to Polka versions of top forties songs as well as some great German ditties.

At any rate, at some point I had to use the ladies room and headed down hoping for a short line. No such luck, there were about forty women in line for 6 stalls. As I stood there this is the conversation that I overheard:

Woman 1: Man this line goes on forever.

Woman 2: Can you see around the corner?

Woman 1: Yeah it goes around another one!

Woman 3: Wouldn't it be great if we could wear those adult diapers and not have to break from dancing?

Woman 1: You mean like the astronaut?

Me: The one that drove across the country?

Woman 3: Yeah, if we had those we wouldn't have to waste our time here.

Woman 2: Yeah but no guy would fuck you with a diaper on.

Woman 1: You could always switch them out before the night is over.

Woman 2: And then you'd smell like piss. (This woman was not liking this idea)

Woman 3: Yeah I guess it's hard to get laid smelling like pee. (Woman 3 gave in realizing her idea wasn't that great after all)

It went on a little after that, but this is the general idea of the rest of the conversation. At first I found this pretty amusing and was giggling to myself, but then when I got to thinking about it later I was just sad for these women. They probably just need love and it made me feel depressed about their lives.

So here's the thing about drunk chicks in line for the restroom, they make me grateful for the life I have.

About Christian Musicians II

Sadly, the previous video has been taken away and I cannot find it. Perhaps because it was featured on The Soup this week? It certainly received a great deal of attention. At any rate, I apologize that it is no longer available...it's a sad day.

If you want to check out the people who took it off YouTube, check them out at:

http://www.theway.org/

PS. A friend of mine found the clip from the soup and here it is.

About Christian Musicians

I'm not really sure what to say except perhaps...stay within your genre and dancing obviously is not for you.

So here's the thing about Christian musicians: there's a reason people make fun of you.

About crude terms for women

Last night some girlfriends and I were at a fair and before I begin this story let me note that I certainly understand that whilst one is at a fair they cannot expect the height of sophistication, I do expect however that people will act with common decency.

That being said, we were walking around and it was very crowded, there were people everywhere and bright lights and loud noises, but a situation where you cannot expect to have much personal space. Apparently one of my girlfriends inadvertently cut a young man off. Rather than ignore it, or at most give her a dirty look, this young man called her a slut...slow down and think about that. A teenage boy called a woman in her twenties that he did not know a slut.

Let's back up and take a look at my girlfriend. She was wearing jeans (no holes or tears), a t-shirt (not form fitting, just a regular t-shirt) and a zip-up hoodie. However, even taking a look at the very un-sluty appearance of my girlfriend, I know this young man was not referring to her outfit. I believe this young man was just using a term that is common in his everyday language to convey his annoyance with the situation.

And therein lies the problem. When did it become ok to use such offensive terms without a backwards glance? What has become of propriety? Who has enabled this young man to get away with such poor behavior?

The terms that have become so frequently used for woman are overwhelming if you sit back and think about it. I feel heartbroken at the lackadaisical way in which these terms have come to be used; terms like slut, whore, bitch, and probably others. Sadly I think that even we women have allowed this by using the terms ourselves, even as a joke.

So here’s the thing about crude terms for women: they are unacceptable, they are hurtful, they are offensive…and they should not belong to our common language.

About liaisons to physical plant...

So we moved into a new apartment last week, Monday September 1st. As we were moving we thought, my goodness it's hot in here, and indeed it was 87 degrees in the apartment. The air conditioning wasn't working. So I called the liaison from our housing complex who reports to the physical plant, the ones who do all the work. We are not supposed to contact physical plant directly, that is the liaisons job. She said it would be taken care of by noon. Good deal, I thought, air by the time we get home.

Much to my dismay, later that day I noticed that it was still hot and that evening the thermostat shut off completely. I thought perhaps they were still coming and let it go the next day because after all, they knew how hot it was, surely it would be fixed. By Thursday I was pretty annoyed and decided to actually go in and have a chat with Penny (not her real name to save her from shame). She said that the guys were working on things as we spoke and it would be taken care of by the weekend. There was some issue with the warranty and they had to take care of it.

The weekend came and went with my husband and I still sweating it out in our ridiculously hot apartment. The week was pretty busy and I just assumed it was being worked on, I hoped for the best. Yesterday, Thursday, I decided enough was enough and I was going over Penny's head. I called physical plant and left a message for a guy we know up there...any other person might have deleted our message. He called me back this morning at 8:10am, very prompt, and told me he'd be out here after lunch. He showed up soon after 1pm and within a half an hour he and a few other guys had come and gone, fixing the air and letting me know that should anything else occur I should call them. They also seemed to indicate that they didn't know there was a problem. What was he saying? What about the liaison?

So here's the thing about the liaison, what the hell is the point of a liaison that does not actually liaise (actually a word, check it out on dictionary.com) Seriously though what's the point? Why does she even have a job? So to all you liaisons out there, do your job, people take you at your word.

About marriage...

It's my anniversary today and I just wanted to say a little somthing about marriage. I never would have dreamed that I would marry someone that I enjoy so much. I mean certainly I hoped for it, who doesn't? But my husband is not only my husband (in the romantic sense of the word) he is also my best friend.

I say frequently that being married is like a permanent sleep-over with your best friend and it really is true. I don't have to worry about being cool, or saying the right things, I don't have to be nervous that maybe if I do this or don't do that, that he might stop liking me. There's no anxiety in that way.

I always hated that anxiety in dating. You know what I mean? That whole, "Will he still like me? What happens if...?" None of that lingers into this marriage. I am completely confident in my relationship. And what a blessing that is!

What a blessing to be in a relationship with God at the center...and what does that mean really? You hear that all the time but what in the world does it mean? For us it means that God blesses our relationship and takes us places together, not geographical locations you understand. It means that as iron sharpens iron, we help each other become better versions of ourselves with loving honesty. It means that we trust our relationship and our lives to God's plan.

Here's the thing about marriage, it is truly a gift, and I am honored to be allowed to participate.

About sportscasting...

Ok, so here's the thing about big sporting events, it seems like sportscasters jump onto one person and cling to them. It's like they have fallen in love and have eyes only for this one person. This has become evident again just recently with the Olympics. Specifically: men's swimming champion Michael Phelps.

Now, I have no doubt that this fellow deserves praise for his amazing abilities to win the US of A some gold medals. However, tonight he competed with three other men including an anchor man pulling an amazing win out of a seemingly second place finish, right there at the end. After the race was over the only thing that the sportscasters were interested in was MP (Michael Phelps). They were asking him questions and praising his work and really!? What about the other three dudes who just swam their butts off? Did MP do the 4 x 100 race all by himself? I think not.

This is not the only instance of this. Does anybody out there watch the most amazing college sports season of the year, March Madness? I do, and I love it...what I don't love is how often the sportscasters talk about a certain Tar Heel. Does anyone recall how in love with Tyler Hansbrough the sportscasters are? And how for the last two years they are all up on him? Do you hear the way they go on and on and forget to talk about the other athletes?

Wow sportscasters...wow. Are you so enamored that you really can't see the amazing things that other people are doing around your golden boys? Take of those blinders and take a look around sportscasters. Thank you Cullen Jones, Jason Lezak and Garrett Weber-Gale of the USA men's 4x100 swim team, you rock.

Brother's side note: You should also mention OJ Mayo who the 'casters had a hard on for all season and then couldn't even win one game in the Madness of March. He only scored 20 point in a lackluster performance against Kansas State.I must agree that the phelps love is a bit much. But my bigger grip with NBC's coverage of the olympics is that they only show america. Only. And then only when they are favored. If another country is favored they won't show it or will only show one member with a special story of struggle that brought them to the lympics. Bah!

Introduction

After much thought as to what people might care to read about that I have to say, I decided that I have some pretty passionate opinions about a lot of things and maybe a healthy way to rant is in blog form. I also thought that some people might be interested in reading my rants. I often start rants with the phrase, "So here's the thing..." and then go on to discuss whatever it is that needs discussing, hence the title of my blog. At any rate, I hope that you enjoy.